Birth During Covid 19
What a strange time this is. As a doula I am finding it very hard not to be able to support my clients in person, and getting use to this new temporary 'normal' of support via phone, video call and whats app.
I have put this blog together of websites, courses, contact ideas, with a bit of my ramblings.
What I feel I am seeing through this experience is some very empowered self informed mums, who are faced with decisions they wouldn't normally face, feeling through these decisions and experiences with incredible strength. I am so honoured to be where I am standing, and it makes me feel proud to be human to witness our true inner wisdom coming forth. Inner wisdom we have relied upon since we began life on earth, inner wisdom other mammals carry. Our ancestors birthed us, and although physically some of us need extra support to birth our baby's due to our natural physiology, most of us will birth naturally, instinctively and intuitively.
New parents are also getting incredible valuable time with their new born babies, the 'magical golden hour', turned into a 'magical golden month' or more! Time to really trust their own natural instincts without visits, or family members influencing. In many ways this can have its benefits too.
If you are a new or expectant parent remember now more than ever to trust in your inner wisdom, feel the power of all of our ancestors behind you, all those women who have birthed fiercely, and raised their children with only their instincts and intuition. Your body is built for this! It is one of the most natural experiences in the world.
Many parents are facing birthing in hospital without a partner, their doula, or with only a partner from their own household once their labour is established. They are then facing time on the postnatal ward alone without their partners. It all sounds scary but dont forget you still are not birthing alone, your baby is birthing with you.
This is an opportunity to really feel the power of birth without distraction, to feel the birth dance between you and your baby. Your NHS Midwifes will be supportive, it is their job, they are often really passionate about their work and helping you to birth in the best way possible for you.
In many areas where home birth is cancelled, you can birth at home with an independent midwife. The ambulance services are over stretched in many areas but you can drive yourself to the hospital in the case of an emergency or call a taxi? For some families free birth is becoming a real conversation, although it may not be for everyone. I suggest strongly you do your research before doing this option.
I have included in this blog a mini Relaxation for you to try each day if you feel anxious. Plus a list of potentially beneficial links for expectant and new parents below.
We can all get through this time together, I am certain that whilst it is a hard time for so many of us for many different reasons, we will see huge changes that benefit humanity and the world.
Mini Breath Work Relaxation Technique
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Each day try to take ten minutes to just sit, close your eyes and breath, there are many ways to breath to relax your mind and centre yourself.
This is a breath work my teacher Steven Ash uses often with us before journey work, I find it helps relax me generally too and use it with my own clients.
☆ Sit comfortably
☆ Take thirteen deep breaths,
☆ Feel how each breath moves through your body.
☆ notice how you feel after thirteen breaths
☆ afterwards sip some water
You will very likely feel much calmer.
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Courses
☆This is a free Scientific online course on the microbiome of breastfeeding: https://microbirth.teachable.com/p/breastmilkscientific
☆This course is £40, cheap and worthwhile! 'Breastfeeding with confidence' by Jil Wild: https://jil-s-school.thinkific.com/
☆Free Webinars on Reflux and weaning. https://www.thebabyrefluxlady.co.uk/
☆ Milli Hill's online course for helping women through the current situation https://www.positivebirthmovement.org/courses/about-positive-birth-covid-19-rescue-pack/?fbclid=IwAR0qyIQXXMhrFUXKoWKL4NZ4VDcuPouefzB7enDITUq5gjApc3KVZP-3q_E
☆ Pregnancy in the time of Covid. This is a mini talk for 10$ by my teacher in america Susan Weed and a natural midwife which is interesting. It is available to replay.
http://www.herbalmedicinehealing.com/store/item_view.php?id=1000856&Item=Pregnancy+in+the+Time+of+COVID19+Teleseminar+with+Astrid+Grove+%26+Susun+Weed&fbclid=IwAR3jeVRavm6Wws3biVhn2ioewwe0pfuPdrGe6zXQU66QfYwE1Rs94BwPKzQ
☆ Spinning Babies Classes online with Roma Hearsey, Spinning babies parent educator.
https://www.facebook.com/events/223842885482590/
☆ Free Birth Society Courses https://www.freebirthsocietycourses.com/cgtf
Midwives you can contact as well as your community NHS midwives.
☆ Omni natal seems to be an online community with Midwives, offering a free phone call service. If you type in the code omnifree its free to register https://www.omni-natal.com/
☆ A specialist midwife offering zoom calls and phone calls https://www.facebook.com/thespecialmidwife/
☆ Joy Horner, an independent Midwife is also offering calls she lives in Glastonbury, Somerset, Joy is on facebook, she does lots of videos and talks on freebirth, she runs an online circle at the moment too. Joy is offering a course to parents on freebirth!! Shes very knowledgable. http://birthjoy.co.uk/
☆ Kemi Johnson is also an Independant Midwife in London. Kemi offers hour calls for £50, but free twenty minutes. Kemi supports mums own choices, shes amazing too! https://www.facebook.com/BirthJoyAlways/
Relaxation/ Yoga
☆ Tammy is amazing for her yoga classes for pregnancy and postnatal. You will find them on you tube via her website. http://www.tammysyoga.co.uk/
Podcasts
☆ Freebirth society podcast https://www.freebirthsociety.com/blogs/the-free-birth-podcast
☆ Doula UK podcast https://doula.org.uk/the-doula-uk-podcast/
https://player.fm/podcasts/Homebirth
Spinning Babies
☆ The three p's
https://spinningbabies.com/start/in-pregnancy/the-3-principles-in-pregnancy/
☆ Belly mapping to feel which position your baby is in. https://spinningbabies.com/learn-more/baby-positions/belly-mapping/
To look at your birthing rights see these links.
https://www.aims.org.uk/
https://www.birthrights.org.uk/
There are also many Doula Services available to call on for extra support! Some of which are teaming together to offer 24 hour phone call services for support.
I will edit this blog with details when I am aware of them but you can pop to www.doula.org.uk to see a list of doulas currently working, or https://redtentdoulas.co.uk/directory/
Remember you have an inner strength, even if you don't feel it now, it will be there when you need it.
♡ You are not alone ♡